Multilanguage translation exercise, part 0

This is a new translation exercise, because I thought it would be
interesting (and I felt like typing it in).  The extra special added
feature attraction is that the original text is available in more than
one natlang, so you can start from wherever you like.  The texts are
a bit long, and may strain people's lexicons (and morphosyntax, and
phonology) to the breaking point, so if you can't translate the whole
thing, by all means translate part of it.

I will collect postings and make a Web site of them.

There is only one ground rule:  DON'T BLOW THE GAFF!  In other words,
if you know (or figure out) the source or nature of the text, don't
talk about it on the list!  Don't spoil things for people who are
still struggling (or not struggling).

I am presenting two texts, a longer one and a shorter one; they are both
excerpts from the same work.  They will follow shortly.

--
John Cowan <jcowan@...>     http://www.reutershealth.com
I amar prestar aen, han mathon ne nen,    http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
han mathon ne chae, a han noston ne 'wilith.  --Galadriel, _LOTR:FOTR_

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